


In Andraste's Shadow

by Fidemdormiens



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Chantry Sex, Cullenlingus, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Oral Sex, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Smut, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 08:28:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10636122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fidemdormiens/pseuds/Fidemdormiens
Summary: "Whatever happens, you will come back."When the Inquisitor interrupts Cullen in prayer, he admits his fears for her amid the danger of the war. In Andraste's shadow they manage to steal some precious moments together, possibly for the last time.(AKA Cullen somehow makes The Chant sexy)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Had to write this after the cutscene made me cry, damn Bioware. I didn't write this with any particular Inquisitor in mind. Initial dialogue only very lightly edited from the game.
> 
> Quick note - I think I dealt with this fairly tastefully but if the idea of sex in a vaguely religious setting makes you uncomfortable (which I can appreciate, this walks a fairly fine line) then please don't read.

In the late evening light, Cullen kneels on the floor in front of the statue of Andraste. Head bowed, eyes closed, he looks serene. 

"Though all before me is shadow, yet shall the Maker be my guide. I shall not be left to wander the drifting roads of the beyond. For there is no darkness in the Maker's light and nothing he has wrought will be lost."

"That was beautiful." The Inquisitor slips through the door quietly.  

"For those we have lost. And those that I am... Afraid to lose." 

"You're afraid?" She asks softly, stepping closer. 

"Of course... The things that we have seen Corypheus do. What more is he capable of?" 

He shakes his head, rising to his feet.  

"It is only a matter of time until he retaliates. We must draw strength wherever we can."

 Moving to stand next to her, he doesn't meet her gaze, expression pained.  

"When the time comes, you will be thrown into his path again. Andraste preserve me, I must send you to him." 

The catch in his voice nearly breaks her. She knows how helpless he feels but there's nothing he can do. This is her burden to bear, whether she chooses it or not.  

"What if I can't... Cullen, if I don't..." The words come unbidden, fears that she hasn't confessed to another before. There is a very real possibility that she will not survive this. He reaches for her, cupping her cheek in one big hand.  

"Maker, no." It's a broken plea as he pulls her towards him, crushing her against his chest.  

"Cullen, you don't have to - " 

"Allow me this. To believe anything else would... I can't." His strong arms surround her, shielding her.  

"Whatever happens, you _will_ come back." 

They stand for a while, holding onto one another tightly. As if that will be enough to keep them together, to keep the world from tearing them apart. He's breathing deeply, eyes closed and for a moment he seems incredibly fragile. Life has not always been kind to Cullen and she prays that she will not cause him any more pain. Leaning into him she focuses on the closeness of him, the comforting scent of him. He smells safe and familiar, the sharpness of metal and sword oil, something warm and masculine running underneath. She tries to commit the feel of him to memory, letting her awareness narrow down to the points of contact between them.  

Gentle fingers tilt her head up and he leans in to kiss her. Heat coils in her stomach at the brush of his lips against hers, soft yet firm. It's fleeting, all too brief, as he pulls away leaving her heart hammering in her chest. He smiles down at her, thumb brushing gently over her lips. Then her mouth meets his again and she's falling. His hands move to cup her face possessively, calloused palms against her jaw and thumbs rubbing over her cheekbones. She wraps her arms around his neck and draws closer into him. He tilts his head, deepening the kiss and his tongue brushes across her parted lips. Giving into him she lets their tongues twine together. The sharp taste of peppermint washes over her and she smiles against his lips. How very Cullen. More insistent now he presses into her, the slick glide of his tongue intoxicating. A soft noise escapes her, a plea, _don't stop_. He drinks it down, along with her breath, stealing the air from her lungs, kissing her until she's dizzy.  

"I need you to know that I love you. You. This. It means so much to me." 

Her heart shatters. She reaches blindly for him, meeting his lips in a desperate kiss. Want unravelling in her. She wants him, wants everything. Wants him to take her slowly, soft kisses and touches on every inch of her skin. Wants him to undo her with rough hands until she screams under him. Wants everything that he has to give. Suddenly aware that they're still standing in front of the statue she presses a hand against his chest.  

"Cullen? Here? Shouldn't we..." 

He starts as if realising where they are for the first time. Then, releasing her, he takes two quick strides to the door. It closes with a firm thud and he slides the bar into place.  

"The Maker led me to you, that much I know. Whether or not you are Andraste's Herald, you are what I needed. This, this is sacred. This is right." 

Moving back to her he takes her hands in his. His voice hoarse as he begins to murmur something familiar. 

"Blessed are they who stand before the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter." 

Looking intently into her eyes, he pulls her slowly towards the wall with him. Bracing her against his chest he slides down it to sit on the stone floor. 

"Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just." 

Settling into his lap, she wedges her knees either side of his thighs. The soft lilt of his voice flowing over her.  

"Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written." 

He finishes, eyes glinting fervently and the strength of his faith gives her hope. She isn't sure what she believes in anymore but she knows she can believe in him. Achingly slowly they come back together, hesitant breath mixing as they linger, lips not quite touching. Then he's kissing her, kissing her like she's the only thing left in the world for him. He sucks softly on her bottom lip before moving away to kiss across her jaw. He works down her neck, tongue leaving trails of heat as he plants eager open mouthed kisses. She arches backwards and lets out a soft moan as his teeth graze over her pulse point. Her hips cant, grinding against him. He lets out a sharp breath against her skin and his hips buck up in response. He grabs her waist, pulling her hard into him. The press of his arousal against her sends the heat in her stomach burning lower.  

"Cullen..." 

His fingers fumble at the fastenings of her shirt, pulling it open. He slides it down over her arms, baring her inch by inch. She helps him shrug it free then unwinds her breastband. Feeling the intensity of his gaze burning across her skin as the fabric falls free. Goosebumps prickle her skin as it's exposed to the cool air and her nipples tighten as they brush against his chest. Cullen runs his hands over her, calloused palms skimming down her back and across her ribs. Reaching up she undoes her hair, letting it tumble free and loose around her shoulders. It glints slightly in the faint candlelight.  

"Oh, Maker's breath... You are beautiful." He whispers, almost reverently, pupils blown out.  

Another murmur is lost against her lips as he fists a hand in her hair, drawing them together again. Hands shaking, she works at the layers of his armour. His tongue in her mouth distracts her and it takes much longer than she wants. She finally gets his cloak undone, and breastplate off. Maker he wears a _lot_ of clothing. As she starts to drag his shirt off when his hands find her breasts. All thought slips away as he cups them, thumbs drawing slow circles around her nipples. She presses into his hands and he begins to tease them in earnest, pinching and rolling their peaks between thumb and forefinger. Her hips snap into him again involuntarily, and he's hot and hard, tight against her throbbing cunt. Seeking skin, she scrabbles at the fabric and he finally pauses long enough to let her pull it off.  She runs her hands over his shoulders, down his chest, fingers tracing his scars tenderly. They form a familiar map that she can follow by touch alone.  

He drops his head, teeth scraping over her collarbone as he sucks kisses lower. Her fingers dig into him as his tongue drags across her nipple. Every pull and tug sending heat through her and she rocks against him in urgent little motions, fabric dragging over her slick cunt. Her fingers dance through his hair, smoothing down the back of his neck. They sink into his shoulders, working at the tense knots in his muscles. That earns her a jerk of his hips and he bites down on her nipple, laving away the sharp ache with his tongue. Her back arches into him even as she tries to rock against his cock again. Caught between the sensations she squirms, every movement sending jolts of pleasure through her.  

"More," she gasps. "Please. I need -" 

He makes a noise that could almost be a growl and pulls her close against his chest with one arm, scrabbling at something behind her with the other hand.  

"I'm not sure I thought this all the way through." He grumbles ruefully, grabbing his cloak and spreading it out to cover the floor. 

Working his way on to his knees he lifts her backwards, cradling her head with his hand as he lowers her gently onto the pool of fabric. Reaching for some other item of discarded clothing he balls it up, sliding it under her head like a makeshift pillow. The tenderness of the gesture squeezes at her heart and she has to stop for a moment lest it break. Catching his hand, she presses it against her cheek, eyes closed, breathing him in.  

"Is everything okay?" He asks, voice soft and layered with concern. 

She nods, gripping his hand tighter.  

"It's just... _You_. You are more than I could ever have asked for." 

"Maker... If only you _knew_." 

There's a pause as he kicks his boots off then he's on top of her, covering her with his body. She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him in close so she can kiss him, eager tongue sliding against his. His hands are trailing restlessly over her, leaving her skin tingling in their wake. One slides lower, pausing over the laces of her leggings and she squeezes his arm in encouragement. Blindly he fumbles them open, fingers pressing in over her smalls. They brush lower, searching and he groans as they find the wet patch over her cunt.  

"Andraste, you're so wet - " 

He begins to rub slow strokes, dragging the fabric over her and her hips buck in response. Grinding against him she tries to find more friction.  

"Cullen, please..." 

Her plea is lost to his lips and he continues the achingly slow rhythm. She's pressed tight against him, skin on skin and acutely aware of him. The pounding of his heart, the unsteady cadence of his breathing; there's something intensely intimate in the tangle of their limbs. He doesn't stop the steady grind of his fingers until she's squirming and gasping under him, lost to the throbbing heat between her thighs. Then, as he sucks one last slow kiss into her neck, he pulls his fingers free and shifts to kneel over her. Her hips twitch against empty air and she moans needily.  

"The things you make me _feel_..." 

He breaks off and bows his head, kissing across the soft planes of her stomach until he reaches her waistband. Slowly he starts to peel off her leggings, sitting back on his heels to pull her boots free so he can ease them off over her feet. Working his way back up slowly his palms skim over her calves and up along over her knees. Touches interspersed with soft kisses. His fingers trace slowly over the inside of her thighs, soft caresses, barely brushing her skin. He drops his head again and covers the damp spot on her smalls with his mouth. His tongue presses into her, scalding hot despite the fabric between them. Her hips thrust up into him but he puts a restraining hand on her stomach, holding her down.  Everything condenses to his hot breath and slow sucking kisses. Her cunt throbs in time with her pounding heart and she scrabbles at his head. It's too much and not enough all at once. She wants, needs, to feel him without anything between them. 

" _Cullen_." 

He relents, pulling back so that he can drag her smalls off. Finally. He spreads her legs further and brushes a knuckle over her slit. She gasps at the direct contact, overwrought and aching. 

"So beautiful." His voice is rough with want and he meets her gaze, eyes burning with desire. 

He dips his head again, tongue dragging slowly between her folds. Heat explodes through her and one hand clutches at the cloak under her. The other she fists into his hair, desperately trying to ground herself. Long fingers spread her open to him and his tongue flicks across her clit. Moaning, she tries not to thrust against him as he sucks gently at the sensitive nub.  

"Please..." She gasps, having lost the capacity to say much else.  

He quests further, sliding into her. She can't focus on anything but the heat coiling inside her. Insistent, he fucks her with his tongue, occasionally returning his attention to her clit.  

Eyes closed, chest heaving, the heavy drag of his tongue pulls her closer and closer. He speeds up, feeling her urgency. Then suddenly she shatters, letting out a wordless cry as she comes against him. Back arching against the floor, her hands clutch at his hair. He keeps going, guiding her higher through the aftershocks as she trembles under his touch. 

"Maker," she sobs and Cullen kisses the insides of her thighs, easing her back from the edge.  

Tugging gently on his hair she means to guide him back up to kiss her again. Instead he catches her wrist, holding her still.  

"Let me do this," he murmurs, breath tickling her skin. Then he draws his tongue across her cunt again. She squirms, oversensitive, hips twitching.  

"Cullen I don't think I can -" 

He whispers reassurances against her, stroking her thighs as he eases his tongue over her. She relaxes into him, pleasure beginning to spool smoothly within her again. His tongue flicks across her clit once before he sinks a finger into her. She shudders and moans as he hooks it inside her, pressing down on just the right spot. Cullen lets out his own groan as she clenches down on him, crying out again as he adds a second finger. He fucks her with them slowly, stretching her and she rocks her hips desperately into his thrusts. His tongue draws a circle around her entrance, teasing at the tight stretch of skin. Her hips slam upwards in response, taking him deeper into her. A restraining hand rests onto her thigh, keeping her spread open for him. She's making small, needy noises that she might be embarrassed by if she had any attention left to spare. He adds a third finger and she's so slick that she takes it easily, seeing stars at the slight stretch and burn, the fullness. Her hands roam over her body, pinching and teasing at her nipples as she writhes under him, unable to keep still. He sets a steady pace, fingers grinding into her as he sucks at her clit. It's not long before she feels herself begin to tighten, pleasure thrumming through her.  

"Come for me sweetheart. I want to see you come again." His voice is rough and low, sending her right to the brink.  

He presses deep into her and the wave breaks over her as she clenches tight around him. It doesn't stop, drawn out by little strokes of his tongue, rippling through her until she's gasping for breath. Boneless she rests a hand on the nape of his neck as he trails kisses up from her soft curls, across her stomach and over her hips, letting the tension drain out of her. Then he shifts so that he can kiss her mouth and she tastes herself on his swollen lips. He's tender but urgent and she can feel the hardness of him, straining inside his trousers. She grinds up against him, earning herself a long groan. Her fingers find his crotch, cupping his cock through the leather, stroking slowly.  

"Fuck..." He grunts, thrusting into her hand involuntarily.  

She tugs at his laces, blindly pulling them undone. Pushing his trousers and smalls down, she lets his erection spring free. He's hard, twitching slightly against her and she wants him inside of her. Gripping him loosely she strokes up and down, twisting her wrist slightly as she goes, watching his eyes flutter closed. Running her thumb across his slit she catches the beads of pre-cum that are dripping from him, spreading them over the head. His hips jut into her again, and he muffles a moan against her shoulder.  

"I will always want you," she breathes, pushing his leathers lower.  

He kicks them the rest of the way off, levering himself back down on top of her. Braced above her, he looks at her with an expression of such longing that it makes her heart catch. So she twines her arms round his neck, pulls him in to kiss him. Tries to pour everything that she wants to say into it. To tell him that no matter what happens she will never regret what they have. He makes a soft, desperate sound against her mouth then he's pressing himself between her thighs. A rough hitch of his hips and he slides into her, bodies coming together. Hilted in her, filling her, he pauses breathing unsteadily. She revels in the way they fit together, her body melting into his, the borders between them blurring. He's trembling slightly under her fingers and she wonders if he feels this as intensely as she does.  

"Easy Cullen..." 

He buries his head against her neck and slowly slides out, thrusting back in a little harder. He sinks deeper and heat spools within her, centred around that exquisite point of contact. She shifts her hips up to meet him at the next thrust and he makes a small strangled sound. He looks down at her, eyes wide with desire, mouth slightly open as he pants for breath.  

" _Maker_." 

A hand slides up her body, dragging over her waist, coming to rest cupping one of her breasts. He drags his thumbs over the peak, hips rolling into her as he speeds up. Every rock forward sends him deeper into her, fitting her, filling her so perfectly. He shifts slightly until his cock is rubbing against her clit at every stroke. Gasping for air she tilts her head to the side, spine curving as she tries to take as much of him as she can. Pleasure churns within her as he thrusts, harder, faster, more. She's pressed into the unrelenting floor but that concern is beyond her. His body is tense above her, moving with her in a shared rhythm. The heat in her stomach tightens unbearably at each thrust as she comes closer and closer. Until she's balanced on the edge, hanging on by a thread. She clings to him, fighting the fall and seeking it desperately all at once. Then Cullen's free hand drops between them, finding the place where they meet. He circles her clit, pressing in against the throbbing nerves. 

It's enough to send her crumbling over the edge, crying out as heat shoots through her, sharp and bright and aching. She goes limp against the floor, shuddering as she clenches tight around him. He lets out a low growl, hips stuttering erratically. His mouth is hot on hers, drinking down her ragged breaths as he bucks into her. She's carried along, waves of pleasure breaking over her as he draws her through the orgasm. He's close, muscles taught as he strains over her, but he pulls himself back. Finds a slower rhythm again as she wraps her legs around him. The change of angle lets him slide even deeper, pressing into her very core. 

He presses his lips against her neck, whispering her name. She clings to his voice, lost somewhere beyond pleasure and pushed into pure sensation. Her breath matches the steady shift of his body, anchored to the rock of hips. Never before has she felt so intensely connected to someone else. It's as though his blood flows through her veins, his heart beats for her. She doesn't want it to stop. Is worried that she'll fall apart without his touch to hold her together. Stroking her hair, he praises her softly, tells her how beautiful, how strong she is. Murmurs bittersweet promises that she knows he can't really keep. Says that he'll keep her safe, that he'll never leave her. Gives his broken confession, admits that he's loved her since he carried her from the snow after Haven. Admits that the only pleasant dreams he has are of her.  She wishes desperately that it could all be true, that this wasn't her responsibility to shoulder. That they didn’t have to live off of stolen moments, hiding from the dark clouds of reality. He rests his forehead against hers, shaking as he draws closer. Finding his hand she clutches it in her own as she urges him on. He cries out her name softly, repeating it over and over like a prayer as he comes. She feels the heat of his release as he seats himself deeply inside of her. For one beautiful moment, she doesn't know where she ends and he begins, can do nothing but feel.  

Cullen slumps against her, braced on an elbow, breathing heavily. Her cheeks are wet with tears and she's not sure if they're all hers. His knuckles brush over them, shockingly gentle. 

"I - I love you. So much. Are you okay? " His voice is low, husky and full of warmth.  

She nods, overcome, and reaches up to cover his hand with her own.  

"I've never... _Felt_ anything quite like that." 

Chastely he kisses the tears from her cheeks, lips brushing fleetingly over her closed eyelids. His mouth meets hers, soft and reassuring, flooding her senses with him again. Then he pulls out of her and she gasps at the shocking, almost painful, emptiness within her. Slipping off of her, he reaches for his shirt so that he can clean the slickness from the inside of her thighs. Settling next to her he pulls her, soft limbed and compliant, against him. Arranging her gently, he cradles her head into his chest and presses a tender kiss into her hair.  

"Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the Light. I shall weather the storm. I shall endure. What you have created, no one can tear asunder." 

There's no denying the break in his voice, or the tears that fall into her hair, this time. Somehow though, in the dim candlelight and with the statue of Andraste above them, she almost believes him when he whispers one final prayer into her ear.  

"You will come back to me. You _will_."

**Author's Note:**

> "Blessed are they who stand before  
> The corrupt and the wicked and do not falter.  
> Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just."  
> -Benedictions 4:10  
> "Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow.  
> In their blood the Maker's will is written."  
> -Benedictions 4:11  
> Canticles of Benedictions
> 
> "Maker, though the darkness comes upon me, I shall embrace the Light.  
> I shall weather the storm.  
> I shall endure.  
> What you have created, no one can tear asunder"  
> Canticle of Trials, Trials 1, excerpt from prayers for the despairing


End file.
